Aha!…

Luke 8:16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lamp stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

I have a feeling that 2016 is going to be the year of Aha moments for me! Just in the last week, I have had so many…  every time I have read God’s Word.

It’s not that I haven’t understood the Word before. Nor is it that I didn’t know what I was supposed to do with it. These moments have been bolts of lightning that shoot to the core of my soul and say, “Mary, this one’s for you!”. These moments refuse to let me just smile and nod as I have become accustomed to in my procrastination and laziness.

I have found this week that I may have been reading God’s Word with an attitude of seeking what it means for everyone else… not for judging purposes, mind you… for purposes of encouragement… should it be needed.

This week… I read all through the parable of the soils and the explanation of them. I heard Jesus say NOT to cover the lamp. But I did… for a moment… using my smile and nod technique. Then He spoke to my soul…

Luke 8:21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

It is sooooooooo hard to smile and nod at Jesus! He looked directly into my eyes and spoke! Aha!!

I come from a fairly large family… (5 brothers/3 sisters) and there have been MANY TiMES that this “baby of the family” used her technique. Earthly parents and siblings are easy given that they WANT to believe you are their good little girl and they DO NOT WANT to deal if you are not.

Not Jesus… He believes we are His little girl/boy and He wants to make us good… He wants us to look like (bear the family resemblance) Him.

How does He do it? Through His Word… He is the Word”…

Aha!

Luke 8:11-15 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. Those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. Those on the rocky soil are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no firm root; they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. 

Father God… forgive my absent heart. Brother Jesus… forgive my rocky heart. Holy Spirit… thank you for wiping the smirk off my face, calling out my Pharisaic agreement to head knowledge, and sending Your power to prepare the soil of my heart to HEAR… the word in an honest and good heart… to HOLD… it fast… to BEAR FRUIT… with perseverance.

Not just to show off my giftedness… but TO BE CHANGED!

Then… and ONLY then… will my lamp be lit and worth being seen… no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lamp stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

I love God’s Ministry of Encouragement. I love being encouraged and encouraging others. I don’t want to lose it or have it stolen by the enemy!

Luke 8:18 So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”

Aha! Unless my smile is due to the light of Jesus in my heart, and my nod is in agreement to my total need for Him, my technique will no longer be honored in this heart… smile and nod, indeed!

2016… my year of Aha moments… bring it on!

Here I am, Lord…

**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB  version of the Bible